last days in brazil

Back in Manaus since wednesday evening and I have decided to spend the last days as a true holiday, lazing about, sleep in hammock, watching birds, etc. Spend friday afternoon on the river but due to rain had to divert to flooting bar were we spent the afternoon eating and drinking before returning home. Invited to big family celebration in the country on sunday, aparently a cow will be slaughtered for the event and it promises to be a good day out, unfortunately also my last one in Brazil. Can't believe how quick to time has gone eventhough it feels as if I have been here months. I've made enough travel notes to write a small book and, in time, that might be just what I will do. So, I make this my last entry to the blog which has served it's purpose to a degree, and invite everyone to view my photos at a later stage once I have posted them to this site from home.

with all my love

Leen

Presidente Figueiredo

My hosts very kindly took me here in the car, and we had a birthday lunch beside a waterfall, including candles. Found a guide and driver to take me around for 2 days because there are many waterfalls and caves in the vicinity but need transport. Astonishing beauty and very wild forest, had special guide to go into forest that has been closed until recently for 4 years, walked barefoot for hours through forest and streams and quite an experience. Saw a rare 'cock of the rock' bird in the process. Reached main cave but no longer able to enter because of danger to health from the millions of bats and their droppings. Over the next days saw many waterfalls and this morning visited an immensly powerful stream and fall in quite remote place. We spotted the pawprints and urine of a jaguar, too fresh for comfort, and at one stage surrounded by makaki monkeys and blue macaws. Walked for miles through forest and only turned back when not sure what path to follow. This was my initiave because guide had told me earlier that he once was lost for 3 days in forest, and learning from his experiences it isn't something you would like to repeat just for the sake of adventure. In fact, without a guide here, you had it.

resume of last days

I have not been able to write as many posts as I would have wished but there is a simple explanation, when it rains in the amazon either the electricity cuts out or the telephone or both, and unfortunately it is the rainy season. I have stayed a few days in manaus just to get my energy back and take stock of the enormity of experiences before starting the last leg of my journey. That is not to say I go without experiences, last night I nearly sat down on a scorpion and it was not dead by any means. I was taken out to manaus for a meal and a drink by my hosts and gradually meet more and more people. Went to see a band play blues with very familiar songs, yet, never understood a single word eventhough they were singing in english. Whenever the rains stop I try to observe nature, few toucans, weaverbirds, eagles, 1m long iguana climbing to top of tree, just usual stuff? how casual does it get after a few weeks? Planning my last trip out to Presidente Figueiredo on monday which involves a busride up the BR174 a motorway all the way up to Venezuela but luckily it will only be 100km for me.

return to manaus

returned to manaus yesterday after chaotic trip via letitia in columbia, tabatinga (brazilian border) and finally a plane. Speedboat from iquitos failed to pick me up because they sold my reserved seat on the day of travel to someone else, so stayed overnight in iquitos and travelled with other company who preceded to breakdown halfway down the river, it was all good fun. Travelling through customs and police on these three country border ports is something else all together. spend today on a large motorvessel for a boattrip up the solimoes river with clive, naicee and their friends, lots of fun and a terrific meal of freshly barbecued fish and lots of beer. The owner of the boat, carlo, an italian, also playes in a bluesband which will perform tonight somowhere down the road. so, I am getting involved in brazilian social life as well thanks to my excellent hosts. Just one week left to visit some lodge in the brazilian jungle around manaus before returning. I still have wishlist of things to photograph before I leave but apart from that I am very happy with the way this trip has worked out. Considering the enormity of the rainforest I have managed to see quite a lot and collect many great experiences.

last day in peruvian jungle

back in luxury lodge and said goodbye to american group. spend afternoon walking the forest just 1 guide and me. Saw amazing frogs, birds and a snake just 1 ft away from my knee, luckily small and inocent otherwise could have hurt. Explorama lodges has been a real treat, broadbased intro to jungle environment and social life and truly fascinating. Anyone wanting to see this part of Peru and rainforest would highly recommend. On return must write out my travel notes to do some justice to this trip. Make my way back to brazil tomorrow and should be in e-mail contact from then. I've started collecting some plant and flower species for Theo's collection, hope they won't get confisc. at airport. It feels like I've been away for months having such busy days from 5/6 in morning till late, going to rest a few days when back in manaus. Have taken many exiting pics especially yesterday visiting monkey sanctuary, and boys will really love pics of tribes, Yagua and Bora indians. One pic eluding me is of brazilian morph butterfly, very large and heavenly blue, might have to catch it and nail to tree to get picture (joke) but otherwise large collection of species so far.

return from lodges

just returned from various jungle lodges some quite remote into the peruvian jungle. obviously no electricity or running water but many trips into the bush and day excursions. wildlife too numerous to explain but very exiting especially fishing for piranhas (they are delicious) and don,t worry about their numbers, there are millions everywhere. Bumping into a yellow bellied anaconda on the path was also a nice suprise, just a small one about 4 meters. Boatsman also cleaned some piranha teeth to take home (for the boys). I have been trekking into the jungle with 2 american couples which is also an experience, but they are very nice. Went on several night expeditions on boats into creeks and lakes which is scary, if not terrifying. Loughing frogs and tree snakes galore and at one stage boatsman hit cayman with peddle which caused some commotion. Last night I went to sleep and large owl just flew in under the roof and sat 3meters away from me observing for 10 min. The house parrot keeps me company at night but wakes up earlier than me unfortunately. I have 1 more full day here and we returned to the luxury lodge this afternoon. Travel back to brazil on tuesday morning with the fast boat.

first days in jungle

Arrived in lodge yesterday morning and numerous exellent experiences since. Went fishing today and cought 3 piranhas plus encountered a boa constrictor on the path but luckily appeared quite docile. Forest is absolutely terrifying but amazing, poison arrow frogs galore and more ants you care to encounter especially the bullit ants which are very active and very large and quick. Went for night walk and saw caymans, tree spiders and very, very large frogs. The temp quite high when no rain and extremely humid. Been in contact with some of local tribes, the Yagua, very pleasant and not too touristy. I will stay here for another night and then move on much deeper into the jungle, about 100miles, and possibly camp out for 1-2 nights. Not actually shure if the right thing to do, but comfy when a good guide around. Amazon river is truly magic and wild, sheer size incomprehensible and so are the distances. 5 weeks is not enough to even get idea. Closest nat. reserve worth visiting is 300km away and just no time to get there. Time in Peru, as in Brazil, is a different reality and already have to start thingking about return closer to Manaus.